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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

My wife went out for a girls' night, stayed out all night at a stranger's villa, admitted there were drugs involved, and I'm struggling with how to feel about it.

52 replies

Johnkennddy · Yesterday 10:50

I'm a 35M. My wife, Sofia, is 35F. We've been married for 8 years and have two kids together. We've actually been together since we were 18, so we've known each other for almost half our lives.

Overall, we've had a really good marriage. No major issues. We communicate well, we're financially stable, and we've built a good life together.

I work in finance. My wife works in fashion retail. Her job involves working closely with male colleagues and sometimes traveling with them. That's never bothered me. I've never been the jealous or controlling type, and she's never given me a reason not to trust her.

For privacy, all the names here are changed except my wife's.

Sofia has three close friends from high school: Leonor, Martha, and Carmen. They're all married, all have kids, and they've had weekly girls' nights for as long as I've known them even before we got married.

Usually, Sofia comes home around midnight. Sometimes it's 2 a.m. If it gets too late, she'll stay at one of her friends' houses rather than drive. For years, she's voluntarily shared her location with me when she's out and checks in every couple of hours. It was actually her idea, not mine.

Last weekend, they went to a music festival.

She left with Martha, who picked her up from our house. Carmen and Leonor were meeting them there. Sofia told me she'd probably be home around 1 a.m.

Around 10 p.m., I saw Carmen's Instagram stories. They were dancing, drinking, having fun. Normal festival stuff.

Then around 11 p.m., Carmen and Martha posted videos of themselves sitting on random men's shoulders. In the background, Sofia and Leonor were doing the same thing.

For context, I know this sounds extreme to some people, but Sofia has always loved that kind of festival energy. She's been on my shoulders plenty of times at concerts and festivals. It wasn't automatically a red flag to me.

A little later, Carmen posted a group picture. There were about six men, my wife, Leonor, Martha, Carmen, and two other women I didn't recognize.

Sofia reposted it.I texted her asking who these people were.

She replied that they were just people they'd met at the festival. She said they were nice, and some of them had their wives there too, referring to the two women in the picture.

I went to bed around 11.

Around midnight, Sofia called me. She said they had been invited to an after-party at someone's house and she'd probably be home around 2:30 a.m. She told me not to wait up.

I said okay.

Around 1:30 a.m., I checked her location. She wasn't at the festival anymore. She was about 15 minutes away at what looked like a large villa with a pool in an upscale area.

This is where I started getting uneasy.

It honestly wasn't because I thought she was cheating. My first thought was drugs. I've been around enough people to know that after-parties at random wealthy strangers' houses can sometimes mean cocaine and other stuff.

I checked Instagram again.

Carmen and Martha were still posting stories from the music festival.

Sofia and Leonor were the only ones who had gone with this group.

At 2:30 a.m., Sofia called again.

She told me she wasn't coming home that night and would come back in the morning instead.

She said, "Leo is with me. I'm safe. I'm sorry I keep changing the timeline, but I'm having fun."

I could hear music and people in the background.

Then she said, "I'm probably not going to call again tonight, so if you don't hear from me, don't worry."

Before hanging up, I asked her directly:

"Are drugs involved?"

She paused and said yes.

Then she added something like, "Just this one time after a long time."

For context, Sofia isn't an addict. But she has used recreational drugs occasionally over the years. It's never been a secret between us.

I ended the call.

The next morning, around 8 a.m., she came home.

I could tell she'd been drinking heavily. She looked exhausted and like she'd definitely taken whatever drugs had been there.

The first thing she said was, "I'm sorry. I know you were worried. I'm sorry."

Then she hugged me.

But something immediately stood out.

She wasn't wearing the outfit she'd left home in.

When I asked about it, she said Leonor had brought a backup outfit and she'd changed at the host's house.

The outfit she came home wearing was a slip dress with a deep V neckline.

Maybe this is irrational, but that detail bothered me more than I expected. It wasn't like throwing on a hoodie because you spilled a drink. She had to completely undress at a stranger's house in the middle of the night to change into it.

I've spent the last four days trying to figure out how I feel.

Part of me thinks she was honest with me the entire night. She shared her location. She called me twice. She admitted there were drugs involved when I asked. She came home and apologized without being defensive.

But another part of me feels deeply disrespected.

She chose to stay overnight at a villa owned by people she'd met that same evening. She changed clothes there. She did drugs. She repeatedly pushed back the time she'd be home. And while I don't have any evidence that she cheated, I can't shake the feeling that boundaries in our marriage were crossed.

I don't know if I'm more angry, hurt, disappointed, or simply confused.

I haven't accused her of cheating because I genuinely don't know if that's what I believe.

But I do know that if the roles were reversed if I had gone to a music festival, ended up at a random woman's villa until 8 in the morning, admitted drugs were involved, changed into a different outfit, and came home apologizing I don't think anyone would tell my wife she was overreacting.

One thing I haven't admitted, even to myself, is that the men in those photos looked attractive and wealthy. I'm not saying that because I think my wife would automatically cheat with a good-looking guy. I've never had that mindset.
Sofia has gone on girls' nights for years. She's worked around attractive men her entire career. She's traveled with male colleagues. None of that has ever made me jealous.

But if I'm being completely honest, seeing that these weren't just random drunk college kids at a festival got into my head. They looked like successful, confident men in their late 30s or 40s who clearly had money and social status. I found myself wondering if I'd feel differently if they looked like average middle-aged dads from our neighborhood.

Maybe that says something uncomfortable about my own insecurities. Or maybe it's just that the whole picture meeting strangers, going to a private villa, drugs being involved, staying until morning, changing clothes there crossed lines that had never been crossed before.
I genuinely don't know.

What I do know is that for the first time in our relationship, I'm questioning whether my trust has been damaged, and I hate that feeling.

Am I overthinking this?

Would you consider this a breach of trust even if no cheating occurred? And I'm asking this here because My wife is mother of kid's and lot's of other women's are involved here too

OP posts:
Amira83 · Yesterday 11:19

I have one question, do you ever leave the kids with her and stay out all night ? Would you do that if you wanted to ? If you do then I dont think you can complain becos she was out with friends having fun. I dont agree with the drugs part but if your okay with that then between you both its ok. Also in her line of work id say what you have described is normal.

Calliopespa · Yesterday 11:20

Helpmefindtime · Yesterday 11:02

I don't understand why you've changed everyone's names except your wife's?

Also, you feel disrespected? Really? Your words or AI because who even says stuff like this.
Especially when she shared her location, kept you up to date, admitted there were drugs. Came home in the morning.

Well ai or not I think disrespected is about it - and if it were a female posting, most would agree.

She sounds massively immature for a mother in her mid thirties.

Slightyamusedandsilly · Yesterday 11:21

Reddit is the home for crap fiction.

JHound · Yesterday 11:21

Why are you sharing your wife’s name?

Johnkennddy · Yesterday 11:23

Amira83 · Yesterday 11:19

I have one question, do you ever leave the kids with her and stay out all night ? Would you do that if you wanted to ? If you do then I dont think you can complain becos she was out with friends having fun. I dont agree with the drugs part but if your okay with that then between you both its ok. Also in her line of work id say what you have described is normal.

No!! If I'm going out with my friends.....i would be back by 12 that's it

As i said, Sometimes she stays at Freinds home.... it's fine but what happened last weekend was suspicious

Drugs, strangers villa, and i can't imagine changing dress at strangers place

OP posts:
takealettermsjones · Yesterday 11:23

Throw in a heist and some gratuitous sex and you've got yourself an airport novel!

Tooobvious · Yesterday 11:25

Creative writing project using AI?

50sandFabulous · Yesterday 11:26

Whatever happened to having a good night and then going home? I can't imagine wanting to go back to strangers villa and take drugs - what if these guys were predators?

I doubt she cheated, but I do question why she would rather be with a group of randoms instead of you? Flirting I would imagine, esp with the clothes change.

I hope this isn't the case for you, but most people I know who married young, tend to have a mid life crisis around 35-40, as it dawns on them that they haven't slept around.

Sparkletastic · Yesterday 11:28

Sounds like your wife wanted to cut loose a bit. The hangover was probably punishment enough. If your marriage is generally good I wouldn’t make a big deal out of it.

IAmBeaIDrinkTea · Yesterday 11:34

Johnkennddy · Yesterday 10:56

Used for better formatting, my orginal text was not good enough to readable and it was way More lengthy

YABU for posting AI shite.
Not reading all that as a result.
How are you posting for privacy whilst also saying you're not changing your wife's name?

SamClamsDisco · Yesterday 11:34

I'm not reading all that

Growlybear83 · Yesterday 11:35

Johnkennddy · Yesterday 11:19

I thought people will understand what I'm feeling right know!! Instead they are call me "controlling husband"

Unfortunately a significant proportion of posters on Mumsnet seem to take the view that women can do nothing wrong but if a man even farts in front of his wife advise her to leave him. There are very definitely different standards and expectations in this site for men and women and I’ve seen many threads over the years where a situation similar to yours was reversed and people had been very judgmental about the male partner’s behaviour.

for what it’s worth, Im sorry youve been made to feel like this. I don’t think your wife’s behaviour was acceptable but I don’t necessarily think it means that she’s cheated, although I can understand your suspicions.

EmailsaysOOO · Yesterday 11:42

I don't get the changing clothes worry but I would be worried if I thought a mother to young kids could relapse to taking drugs like this. Yes I'm ancient so perhaps this is now normal for younger adults I'm not sure.

If you have no evidence of infidelity, your ok with the drugs then I'm afraid I don't think you can do much. I mean maybe you could say you have some concerns but what has she done this time that she hasn't done before? Got back later , taken drugs and changed her outfit. Yeah, on second thoughts I think you should raise it at a quiet time and tell her how it's made you feel
Best wishes :)

Ps tip for the future - make your post shorter. You'd get more credibility.

IDrinkTeaAllTheTime · Yesterday 11:43

Sorry, OP - we’re not publishers. We can’t give you a book deal 😂.

Woodfiresareamazing2 · Yesterday 11:44

When our children were all very young, my group of mum friends (around 12 of us) had a girls night once a month, and we all took it in turns to host. We'd have a few bottles of wine and some snacks, chat about our lives, share child care tips etc etc. It was never a late night (ie after midnight) because we all had to get up with our kids the next morning.

Honestly, I would not be 'cool wife' (husband) about this. But then if I were you I also wouldn't be happy with my wife going out on a girls' night every week and staying out till the early hours, or overnight.

Given that you both work, she is spending half of your weekend evening leisure time away from you. Are you really okay about that? EVERY weekend?

You are obviously not happy with what she chose to do last weekend.
What are you going to do about it?

I would be asking her if she cheated. If the answer is no, I'd ask if she'd wanted to...
That could be a very different discussion.

Calliopespa · Yesterday 11:45

Growlybear83 · Yesterday 11:35

Unfortunately a significant proportion of posters on Mumsnet seem to take the view that women can do nothing wrong but if a man even farts in front of his wife advise her to leave him. There are very definitely different standards and expectations in this site for men and women and I’ve seen many threads over the years where a situation similar to yours was reversed and people had been very judgmental about the male partner’s behaviour.

for what it’s worth, Im sorry youve been made to feel like this. I don’t think your wife’s behaviour was acceptable but I don’t necessarily think it means that she’s cheated, although I can understand your suspicions.

Mumsnet seem to take the view that women can do nothing wrong but if a man even farts in front of his wife advise her to leave him.

😂Best summary of MN.

I agree with the rest of your post. This isn't appropriate behaviour for a married mother of her age, and I can understand why you'd feel uncomfortable. Ditto the comment re not necessarily cheating physically. But it goes beyond having fun with the girls.

whippersnapper55 · Yesterday 12:15

I wouldn't be happy if my DH did this. We all know that recreational drugs lower inhibitions. Why did she feel the need to change her outfit? I've never been for a night out and taken a different outfit to change into, it's very odd 😐 If I were you, I'd be having a discussion with your wife about how you feel about this - she apologised immediately so she must be aware that her actions overstepped boundaries.

MoFadaCromulent · Yesterday 12:22

Regardless of the fictional status of the story it's always good to see MN come out to bat for women when they do something that would see a man crucified.

Waiting for the next post from a woman up at 6am pissed off her husband,who goes out on the lash with his friends every week till 2am, and hasn't come home but has gone back to a strangers house with multiple women he's just met to get coked up for the night in a swimming pool before rolling in at 9 am not wearing his own clothes to be told to stop coercively controlling him, to let him cut loose and that the hangover is punishment enough 😂

Larrythecatforpm · Yesterday 12:54

Oh, she definitely cheated.

BathroomShales · Yesterday 13:04

MoFadaCromulent · Yesterday 12:22

Regardless of the fictional status of the story it's always good to see MN come out to bat for women when they do something that would see a man crucified.

Waiting for the next post from a woman up at 6am pissed off her husband,who goes out on the lash with his friends every week till 2am, and hasn't come home but has gone back to a strangers house with multiple women he's just met to get coked up for the night in a swimming pool before rolling in at 9 am not wearing his own clothes to be told to stop coercively controlling him, to let him cut loose and that the hangover is punishment enough 😂

Brilliant summary of the lunacy and double standards on MN.

Jackiepumpkinhead · Yesterday 13:20

Couldn’t be bothered to read that.

5128gap · Yesterday 15:05

I don't know whether she cheated.
I do know that for women the opportunity to cheat is nowhere near as rare as it is for men. Your wife doesn't need a specific set of circumstances to have the chance to cheat on you, all most women need to do is to be where men are.
The reason this matters, is that for women, there isn't a novelty in men wanting to sleep with us that drives us engineer situations where its possible or take advantage of every opportunity. It's entirely plausible your wife was there for the drink, drugs, dancing and laughter, and would have swatted any advances off like flies, because the party held more novelty than the chance to have sex.
Tbf, the night was a bit wild by most people's standards and I don't think its unreasonable if you want to set boundaries around that.

Calliopespa · Yesterday 15:15

BathroomShales · Yesterday 13:04

Brilliant summary of the lunacy and double standards on MN.

Exactly

mumofoneAloneandwell · Yesterday 17:03

You got married and had kids too young, now she wants her freedom. Sorry.

twilightcafe · Yesterday 22:43

mumofoneAloneandwell · Yesterday 17:03

You got married and had kids too young, now she wants her freedom. Sorry.

This 🎯

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